Persona 4: Yosuke's Shadow
by rjm324
Summary: In Inaba, things are far from quiet, especially with the ongoing murder case. But when Yosuke's cousin, Haiyo Yamamoto, arrives in town in the midst of it all, will the tides of the investigation change?
1. Welcome to Inaba

Chapter 1: Welcome to Inaba

Haiyo Yamamoto stirred awake from his slumber, wondering where he was. As soon as he looked out the window, he remembered; he was on a train, dead set on arriving at the Yasoinaba Station where he would be staying in Inaba for at least the next few months. With his parents away, he had no choice but to head out to a simpler place, with family. While it could be worse, Haiyo was still remembering his last moments at his home in the city, where all his close friends would hopefully be waiting for him when this ordeal was over.

_Inaba, huh?_ He asked himself. _Well, at least I'll be able to relax._ Growing up in the city, Haiyo was well adjusted to nonstop noises like car honks and sirens. But here? Things would be as silent as silent could be for a town with its own Junes.

"Next stop: Yasoinaba Station," the intercom stated. "All passengers departing for Inaba are to gather their belongings prior to arrival." Haiyo pulled out two items from his pockets: a cell phone and a notepad.

_I've got that down,_ he thought to himself. This was all he had on his person, and he'd have no trouble pulling out his overnight bag from the overhead compartment.

After an additional ten minutes, the train pulled up to the station. And among those who filed out of the train was Haiyo, eager to start this new chapter of his life. Standing on the sidewalk in front of the station, he took in the peaceful atmosphere he was sure applied to the entire town. The spring breeze was soothing, almost enough for Haiyo to try napping.

"Yo, dude!" cried a voice in the distance. Alas, the moment was spoiled, so Haiyo recollected himself and walked towards the source of the voice. After twenty steps, he spotted the first person he's recognized since boarding the train: his cousin, Yosuke Hanamura.

"Over here!" Yosuke shouted as he waved his hands in the air, desperately trying to grab Haiyo's attention. Haiyo finally spotted Yosuke's position, and walked towards him.

"Hey, Yosuke," Haiyo responded as he gave Yosuke a high five. "How's the quiet life treating you?"

"It's fine," he replied. "It's still not as quiet as I would hope. I am the son of Inaba's Junes manager, after all."

"That's true," Haiyo replied. The two just stood in silence for a moment before Yosuke led Haiyo to his dad's car where they would be taken to Yosuke's house. And to Haiyo, the drive to the house was just as boring as the train ride there; however, since he didn't want to sleep like on the train, Haiyo decided to try talking to Yosuke.

"So," Haiyo began, "have you made any friends since moving here?"

"Yeah, actually," Yosuke replied. "I haven't made any girlfriends yet, but there are a few people I would call friends."

"Is that so?" Haiyo asked.

"In fact," Yosuke continued, "one of them is also from the city, so we get along especially well."

"I might just have to meet him if he's THAT kind of person," Haiyo responded. For the rest of the car ride, the two went back and forth, talking about past experiences and plans for the road ahead. All in all, the two had plenty of fun just engaging in idle conversation, even though Haiyo found Yosuke to be a little overenthusiastic near the end of it.

Finally, the short car ride was over, as the three inhabitants of the car were finally able to file out of the car and into the Hanamura residence.

"Well, this is it," Yosuke announced. "It's your home away from home."

"Glad to be here," Haiyo replied as he began to make his way to the front door, overnight bag in hand. "For now, I think I just want to spend some time getting ready for tomorrow."

"Oh, that's right," Yosuke snapped. "You're gonna be going to my school." Yosuke then placed his hand on Haiyo's shoulder. "And that means we're gonna be classmates!"

"Yeah," Haiyo responded, brushing Yosuke's hand off his shoulder. "But to be ready, I need some time to get prepared."

"I get you," Yosuke replied. "Well, go on ahead. I won't interrupt you."

"Alright," Haiyo said. "I'm gonna get to it, then." And just like that, Haiyo walked into the somewhat peaceful house of the Hanamuras, reassuring himself his time here won't be too bad.

P4

After a long night of preparation and slumber, Haiyo was finally walking out the front door, ready to begin his first day of school at Yasogami High. Even though he still felt some anxiety, it was about time he set those feelings aside for at least one day.

"You excited, cousin?" Yosuke asked cheerily.

"I guess," Haiyo replied. "It's still so unreal that I'm even here."

"I hear you," Yosuke added. "I felt the same on my first day here." Yosuke then pulled in front of Haiyo, mounted on a bright yellow bicycle. "But you'll get used to it. Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna hurry ahead. I seem to have a bad habit of running late, so I'm not taking any chances."

"W-wait," Haiyo stuttered before Yosuke began peddling away.

"See you there, bud!" Yosuke shouted, and then he was out of Haiyo's sight.

_Fantastic,_ he thought to himself. _Guess I'm travelling alone._ And just like that, Haiyo began a sluggish trek towards his new school. It would've been nice if Yosuke could've been there for family on the first day, but Yosuke was also overly enthusiastic, so Haiyo was slightly relieved.

"Honestly," Haiyo muttered to himself, "it would be nice if he would listen to reason, but he really hasn't changed. That damn Yosuke just seems to go to his own little world whenever he pleases."

"I know, right?" a voice agreed. Haiyo turned his head to see the source of the voice; it was a girl, dressed in a school uniform and a bright green jacket.

"A-are you talking to me?" Haiyo asked.

"Uh-huh," she replied. "You're talking about Yosuke Hanamura, right?"

Haiyo nodded. "That's right," he replied.

"Yep," she continued, "he can be a pain sometimes. Are you new here?"

"I am," Haiyo replied. "My name is Haiyo Yamamoto, and I happen to be Yosuke's cousin."

"Really?" the girl asked. "You seem a lot more laid back then Yosuke."

"That's funny," Haiyo continued, "because when we were younger, we were indistinguishable. But as time went on, I grew more, well, reserved."

The girl just smiled. "And I'm guessing Yosuke didn't outgrow that mentality?"

"That, I'm afraid, is an understatement. He might actually be a bit worse than back then."

"Ha-ha," the girl laughed. "That would explain a lot, actually."

"Oh, I didn't catch your name."

"It's Chie. Chie Satonaka."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Chie."

"Nice to meet you too, Haiyo. It's nice to meet someone fairly normal around here."

"Is it not usually?"

"You'd think so, but this place seems to be full of weirdoes."

"Well, it can't be any worse than the city."

"Hey, what year are you?"

"I'm a second."

"That's nice. So am I."

"Maybe we could become friends."

"I'd like that." After their brief introductions, Haiyo and Chie spent the rest of their walk pretty much exchanging stories of experiences. But one thing was certain in Haiyo's eyes: today was going to be a good day.

* * *

**Well, here we are again, loyal reader. Yes, I started another series, but I honestly don't care right now. I had an idea, and I rolled with it, and Persona 4 is just one of those ideas that kind of warrants a flood of original ideas from its fans. And yes, the main character here shares the name of my SAO fan fiction's main character. But no, these two are not the same person, since my SAO MC was actually based on the P4 hero (who will make an appearance in this fanfic, obviously).**

**But now, I might have a little more on my plate than I wanted to. Except my FNAF and GT fanfics have no fixed schedules, so I'll be fine for now. Speaking of, I've gotta get new SAO and Crash Bandicoot chapters out soon, which are coming. Besides all that, I sincerely hope you like this one as much as my other pieces, and if you're new, give those other ones some love as well. Anyways, I'm out, and read on!**

**-rjm324**


	2. Meet the Gang

Chapter 2: Meet the Gang

"Shut your traps, insolent brats," the teacher insulted. It hasn't been a full minute and already Haiyo was having second thoughts about this sleepy little town; if a teacher can utter such a phrase to a room full of high schoolers without a second thought, then what else does Haiyo not know about?

"Now then," the teacher continued as the talking died down, "you should know damn well how I feel about transfer students by now, so let's hope this little shit isn't as bratty as the last one." He then turned to Haiyo. "Tell them your name, and make it snappy."

Haiyo turned to who would ultimately be his classmates. "I-I'm Haiyo Yamamoto. It's very nice to meet you all."

"Stop staring, twerp!" the teacher snapped.

"Huh?" Haiyo asked.

"I saw how you were staring at that girl in the corner. But forget about hitting on her as long as I'm around!"

"B-but I wasn't…"

"A smartass, eh? Just sit down and be QUIET!" Although Haiyo was stunned by this level of indecent comments, there was nothing for him to do but take his seat.

"Y-yes sir," I replied as I left the presence of the teacher, taking a spot a few rows ahead of Chie, near the center.

"Why do I get stuck with all the shitheads of the school?" Haiyo heard the teacher muttered. And from the whispers he heard around him, he was already popular in a way he never intended.

"Yet another segment of King Moron on Parade," one student said.

"Tough year to be a transfer," another said. "First that one from last month, and now him."

"He is a little dreamy in his own mysterious way," one girl said.

"I said SHUT YOUR TRAPS!" the teacher shouted. Given the whispers, Haiyo assumed he was nicknamed "King Moron," so he decided to call him that for right now, just maybe not in his face.

_Boy,_ he thought, _this is gonna be a fun year for sure._ The sarcasm was evident even to himself.

P4

Finally, the last bell of the day had rung; class was over, and Haiyo had never been more eager to leave in his life. Since he still held a grudge at Yosuke from earlier, he decided to approach him.

"Yosuke," he growled. Yosuke responded by turning his head towards Haiyo.

"Hey man," Yosuke responded. "What's up?"

"Oh, everything is peachy," Haiyo responded sarcastically. "The atmosphere is nice, the teacher is wonderful, and I had a swell time walking to school practically by myself." Both he and Yosuke stayed quiet, unsure of how to respond.

"Ha-ha," a familiar voice laughed; Haiyo saw it was, in fact, Chie from that morning. "Sounds like sparks are flying!"

"Always into the action in life, huh Chie?" a strange boy asked. Unlike Chie, Haiyo was unsure how to describe this kid. He matched his own height, wore the standard uniform, and was topped off with grey hair and eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, man," Yosuke apologized. "Guess I should've warned you, huh?"

"That might've helped a little," Haiyo responded. "It also wouldn't hurt to show your cousin around instead of leaving him to look like an idiot."

"Dude, I get it!" Yosuke snapped back.

"I'm just saying." Haiyo replied. He looked around at the group of students that had gathered around them. "So who are they?"

"Oh, they're my friends," Yosuke replied. "I guess I should…"

"He already knows me, Hanamura," Chie interrupted. "Right?"

Haiyo nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "It kept my morning brightly."

"H-Hey," Yosuke stuttered. "I-I was talking."

"I'm Yu Narukami," the boy introduced. "I'm the transfer Yosuke might've talked about."

"Really?" Haiyo asked before shaking Yu's hand. "Then it's a pleasure to meet you."

"There's no need to be so formal," Yu replied. "We are high schoolers, after all."

"Heh."

"Can I talk now?" Yosuke butted in.

"Why so irritated, Yosuke?" another girl asked. She was dressed in a similar outfit to Chie's, with the exception of her red jacket. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"In your dreams!" Yosuke shouted.

"Then I'd like to talk to the new kid," she replied before turning to Haiyo. "I'm sorry about him. He is a bit antsy."

"I should know," Haiyo replied, "he IS my cousin, after all."

"Really?" she asked.

"He said that this morning, too," Chie added.

"Well, Yosuke," she started, "is it true?"

Yosuke nodded. "He is."

"That's crazy," the girl added. After a minute of zoning out, she turned back to Haiyo. "Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't told you my name, haven't I?"

"Nope," Haiyo replied. "But I'd like to know your name."

"It's Yukiko Amagi. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," he replied. "And to all of you, my name is Haiyo Yamamoto."

"And it's nice to meet you as well," Yu responded.

"Ahem," Yosuke coughed. "Now that the introductions are over with, how about we go somewhere else to talk?"

"That's a great idea," Haiyo replied. "Where do you suggest?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Yosuke asked.

P4

"I know you said it was obvious," Haiyo started, "but did it have to be here?"

"Of course," Yosuke replied. "Do you know anywhere else to hang out besides Junes?"

"Erm, no," Haiyo replied.

"Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere," Yosuke replied. Haiyo sighed as he looked around the building. Sure, it gave him fond memories of home, but it also depressed him to see so many people here instead of all the unique places in town he saw on the car ride to Yosuke's house.

"So Haiyo," Chie started, "what brings you here to our quiet little town?"

"Well," Haiyo started, "my parents are too busy with overseas work, so they decided it was best to send me somewhere with family to take care of me; after all, it's not like they would leave me home alone for a prolonged period of time."

"That's true," Chie replied.

"That sounds just like the reasons why Yu had to move here.

Haiyo turned to Yu. "Is that so?"

"Pretty much," Yu replied with a nod.

"So what was Yosuke like when he was younger?" Yukiko asked.

"Well," Haiyo started, "pretty much like he is now. Actually, we both acted like that when we were younger." He looked at the ceiling. "I remember this one time, he wanted to have a contest to see who could get a girlfriend faster; I agreed, but after a few days, I thought it would be funny to pull a prank on him."

"So what did you do?" Chie asked.

"That's enough, bro," Yosuke stuttered.

"No, I want to tell the rest," Haiyo replied.

"You better not," Yosuke threatened.

"C'mon, Haiyo," Yukiko pressured. "What happened next?"

"Well," he continued, "the next day, I told him I had found a girlfriend. But of course, he didn't believe me."

"And then?" Yukiko asked.

"I showed him a picture of my 'girlfriend' and he cried for days." Everyone broke into instantaneous laughter, except for Yosuke, who wore a frown.

"That sounds like Yosuke," Chie replied.

"T-That's not how it went," Yosuke a stuttered. "I-I was just trying to trick you! Yeah, that's right!"

Expecting a word from Yukiko, Haiyo looked to her and instead saw she was stuck in a laughing fit.

"Are you okay, Yukiko?" Haiyo asked.

"I'm, ha-ha, fine," she snickered.

"Don't expect a straight answer from her like that," Chie added. "She's always like this when she's in a laughing fit."

"I see," Haiyo replied. The rest of their afternoon they spent reminiscing about memories of their past, and at last Haiyo felt welcomed into town; they weren't his other friends, but he was, for once, having some fun since arriving in Inaba. When Yu, Chie, and Yukiko had to go, Haiyo said his goodbyes to them and was left all alone at his table, since Yosuke had to get to work.

_I could work here,_ he thought, _but this place just isn't my style._ He decided to walk around and explore rather than just sit in one spot for hours on end. While he explored, he noticed a camera crew stationed in the food court; normally he would find it strange, but given the recent events that have transpired, Haiyo understood: the news stations were just milking the story for profit. Curiosity took over, as he walked over towards the crew to see what poor soul was dragged into this.

"…and here's someone now," the reporter stated.

"Hmm?" he asked. He saw no one there, so he was left in a state of confusion.

"Excuse me!" the reporter shouted. Now he was pretty sure what was going on.

"A-are you talking to me?" Haiyo asked.

"Of course!" The reporter confirmed. "I have a few questions to ask a random citizen such as yourself."

"Uh, ok?" Haiyo replied shakily.

"What do you think about the bizarre murders and kidnapping that has shaken up the town?"

"W-well," Haiyo started, "I think that they've damaged the quiet rural feel of this place. I mean, that's what makes the country feel so relaxing."

"Fair enough," the reporter replied. "Next question…" This went on for countless minutes, and by the time he did finish up, Haiyo was too agitated to even stay at Junes another second, so he just left for home. The walk home was further agitated by the slight downpour of rain falling from the sky.

_Damn it,_ he thought. _I knew I should've had a second jacket. Or even an umbrella._ He made a note to do that when he was next at Junes.

At last, Haiyo walked through the front door, dripping wet and all. After greeting Yosuke's mom, he walked up to his room to unwind and prepare harder than before so he could be ready for King Moron. Just before he went to bed, Haiyo decided to write a journal entry of sorts in his notepad:

"_May 6 - Today was okay. Met a very unlikable teacher and Yosuke's friends. Shared childhood memories, got interviewed, and walked home in rain. Hope tomorrow is better."_

P4

Haiyo walked to the first floor after having gotten dressed, but found that Yosuke was nowhere to be seen. When he asked Yosuke's mom, he found out Yosuke went ahead early, like yesterday. Haiyo wasn't fazed today, however, as he just started walking to school after a brief breakfast.

"Hey, Haiyo," a voice called. Haiyo turned to see it was Yu.

"Oh, Yu," Haiyo replied. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Yu replied back. "I just wanted to talk with you."

"About what?" Haiyo asked.

"Tons of stuff," Yu replied.

"Alright. Shoot."

"Are you enjoying Inaba?"

"To a degree, yes. What about you?"

"I like it. Even though it's been a month, I really like it here."

"Okay. Continue."

"Do you miss the city life?"

"Kind of. I do miss the friends I left there. Any other questions?"

"Just one more. What did you do after we departed yesterday?"

"Oh, uhh…" Haiyo began to sweat a bit.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I feel like you're interrogating me for some reason."

"I'm not."

"Well, I just wandered around for a few hours before heading home."

"That's it?"

"Yes. Why are you so interested?"

Yu just shrugged. "I was just curious. Are you ready for today?

"Not quite. That one teacher just gets on my nerves."

"You mean Morooka? Yeah, he has the nickname 'King Moron' for a reason."

"Ha-ha." The two carried on more playful banter before walking through the school gates.

P4

Also unlike yesterday, the day felt a lot more tolerable and, as such, went by a lot quicker.

"You doing anything today, Haiyo?" Yosuke asked Haiyo.

"No," Haiyo started, "but I think I'm gonna head straight home today?"

"How come?" Yosuke asked.

"What does it matter to you?" Haiyo asked angrily.

"Woah, man. What's the matter?"

"Yu was acting a bit wary towards me this morning, and now you're doing the same. I should really be asking what the matter with you two is!" Yosuke went quiet, but at that moment, Haiyo didn't care; he was too pissed off to care today.

"I'm just going home," Haiyo announced. He turned his back to Yosuke before saying, "Goodbye!"  
"Haiyo, wait," Yosuke started before Haiyo slammed the door, heading straight home to avoid having to talk to Yosuke or Yu or anyone today. After walking through the front door, Haiyo went straight to his room, writing in an angry entry in his notepad:

"_May 7 – Angry with all of them today. Why all the questions? Wondering if King Moron is worse than today."_

At that moment, the door began to knock.

"Haiyo," Yosuke's mom called, "could you get that?"

"Sure," Haiyo replied. He strolled down, notepad in hand, as he approached the front door; if it was Yosuke, he sure as hell didn't want to talk.

"Yosuke for the last time, I don't wanna…" Haiyo uttered before he opened the door completely, revealing it was a man he hadn't recognized before.

"Uhh, can I help you?" Haiyo asked.

"Is this the Hanamura residence?" the man asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Haiyo asked back. "If you're looking for Yosuke, he's not home right now."

"That's alright," the man replied. "You're just the one I'm looking for."

* * *

"What the hell is his problem?" Yosuke asked himself as he walked home by himself. "Sure, I just wanted to ask him a question, but he didn't have to snap like that." He was at war with himself over Haiyo's attitude, wondering what was going on. As he walked up to the porch, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye: something in the yard. He went to pick it up, but found it to be an unfamiliar notepad; when he read it, however, he knew it belonged to Haiyo, so he walked inside to find him.

"Mom, I'm home!" Yosuke announced. "Do you know where Haiyo went?"

"No," she replied, "I told him to see who was at the door, and since he left in such a hurry, I thought he went with you."

"Huh," Yosuke grunted. "I guess he went to Junes, then. I'll go check."

"Okay," she replied. Just as he closed the door, he phoned Yu.

"Partner?" Yosuke asked. "We might have a problem."

* * *

**I'm back and still kicking. Looking at reviews for my other fanfics, it's obvious where my high points and low points are when it comes to my writing style and preferences. Therefore, this series will hopefully dodge those issues, since Persona may be the easiest to place an OC in. Oh, and I didn't state this before, but there may be some perspective shifts between Haiyo and Yosuke to emphasize certain aspects of the story and for logical, convenient sense. You'll see what I mean.**

**In other news, I might be slowing down in terms of new content for a little while; school's starting back up in a few days, and I have the honor of being placed in AP courses where thinks are kicked up a notch. So if there are long periods where I don't write at all, that's why. But enough of my life story, you just want to go about your business. So thanks for stopping by, and read on!**

**-rjm324**


	3. The Midnight Channel

Chapter 3: The Midnight Channel

"What do you mean he's gone?" Chie demanded Yosuke as he delivered the grim news to the group.

"Just what I'm trying to say," Yosuke replied. "When I got home, Haiyo was nowhere to be seen, and the only thing I found was this." He then promptly pulled out the small notepad he found.

"What is it?" Chie asked once more.

"I think it's some kind of journal," Yosuke suggested. "But that's not all. I think it may be Haiyo's as well."

"Prove it," Chie demanded. Yosuke responded by opening the notepad up, clearing his throat as he prepared to read from it.

"The first entry reads, 'May 6,'" Yosuke began, "'Today was okay. Met a very unlikable teacher and Yosuke's friends.'"

"Nothing unusual so far," Yu commented.

Yosuke continued. "'Shared childhood memories, got interviewed, and walked home in rain. Hope tomorrow is better.'"

"And then?" Chie asked.

"That's where the first entry ends," Yosuke replied.

"There's more?" Yukiko asked.

"Just one more," Yosuke confirmed. "But this one reads totally differently."

"How so?" Yu asked.

Yosuke looked back into the notepad. "It reads, 'May 7 – Angry with them all today. Why all the questions? Wondering if King Moron is worse than today.'"

"Angry with them all?" Yukiko mirrored.

"What could he mean?" Chie asked.

"I dunno," Yosuke replied. "Maybe it has something to do with the tantrum he threw earlier."

"A tantrum?" Yu asked. "What kind of tantrum?"

"Well," Yosuke continued, "I asked him about what he was going to do after school. And then he suddenly lashed out at me."

"Wow," Chie replied. "How did you get him that mad, Yosuke?"

"H-Hey!" Yosuke stuttered. "It wasn't all me, dingus! He also mentioned Narukami's name."

"Really?" Yu asked. "Why?"

"The same reason for lashing at me. I guess he felt we were being a little nosy."

"Well," Yukiko interrupted, "I guess that means he's the one that was on the midnight channel?"

"Probably," Yu replied, "but we still need to check tonight."

"That's right," Yosuke added. "There's no way in hell this killer is taking Haiyo away too."

"We know, Yosuke," Chie reassured. "That's why we're here. To make sure that killer doesn't get his way."

Yosuke finally managed a wry smile. "Thanks, guys."

"Anytime," Yu replied.

P4

"Ugh," Haiyo moaned as he regained consciousness. He staggered to his feet and immediately knew something wasn't right. Unlike the brightly house of the Hanamuras, this place was covered with a yellow fog, and the large room he occupied was covered with old photographs of he and Yosuke as kids. Additionally, he noticed the room was covered with cracks that shone a crimson red.

"W-What the hell?" He asked himself. He had no idea what to think. He had a conflicted feeling of rage at seeing Yosuke's face, but also confusion at the sight of the room's arrangement. What was this place? Where was this place? He didn't care; the only thing that mattered was getting back to the house.

"Hello?" Haiyo shouted. "Is anyone there?" There was no response, as expected.

"If this is some kind of sick prank," he continued, "then it's failed, Yosuke!"

"Always about Yosuke, huh?" a voice muttered. Haiyo knew he heard the voice from somewhere, but he didn't know from whom.

"W-who's there?" he stuttered. "Show yourself, coward!"

"Fine then," the voice responded. With his own eyes, he saw a mass of fog begin to collect itself into a solid mass in the shape of a human being; all the while, sweat beaded down his face in nervous anxiety. The figure in front of him finally began to take shape, and what he saw scared the lights out of him: it shared his height, wore the same uniform as him, sported a neat brown haircut, and perhaps the most startling thing was that he was staring at his own facial features, all the way down to the hints of stubble on his upper lip.

"What the-" Haiyo started. "W-Who the hell are you?"

The figure chuckled softly. "Doesn't it seem obvious?" he asked. "I'm you."

P4

That night, as the group planned, Yosuke was sitting in front of his TV, rain pouring outside, as he waited for the elusive Midnight channel to air. And considering what all had transpired, he was sure that Haiyo or his shadow would be appearing on the TV soon enough. He then looked to the clock to see that the time was nearing 12 o'clock; and when it did, the TV began to glow yellow, to which Yosuke faced. The background had the appearance of a mash up of the school and his house, and from the edge of the screen, a figure wearing a Yasogami uniform walked into frame.

The figure then looked up to the camera, who Yosuke finally matched as his silent cousin. "Oh, hello there," he spoke. "The name's Haiyo. Have you ever lied to yourself to feel better? Well, you're not alone."

_What does he mean?_ Yosuke thought.

"Now you might be asking why?" Haiyo continued. "Why am I asking you all this? That answer is simple: because I'm that way. If you're still interested in my deception, stay tuned as I divulge the secrets of my youth." After uttering this, Haiyo began to walk towards the front door of the large, menacing building. As his hand reached for the door, the screen turned to black.

"Haiyo," Yosuke spoke to himself. He had no idea what to think, considering he always thought of his cousin as the strong, silent type that didn't get bothered by anything. A bit temperamental a times, sure, but nothing like this. After a moment, Yosuke picked up his cell and dialed Narukami.

"_Hello?"_ the voice asked.

"Hey partner," Yosuke replied. "The person on TV was…"

"…_Haiyo,"_ Yu replied.

"Yeah. So our fears have been realized."

"_Are you feeling okay?"_

"Hell no! I just found out my cousin is in danger of dying!"

"_That's understandable."_

"We'll just have to deal with it like we did with Yukiko."

"_Agreed. We'll meet up tomorrow at Junes."_

"Alright. See you then." Yosuke promptly hung up the phone.

* * *

**And, done! Well, this turned out to be the shortest chapter I've ever written. But at the same time, I felt that there was enough content to satisfy, and I want to save all the action for its own chapter. And whether or not you agree, I don't really care since it's my account and my story, but please don't think I'm not open for change. In fact, whether you like my stuff or not, leave those reviews and even PM me if you have suggestions for new stories or for future chapters of current stories, because I'm ultimately doing this for you all.**

**As usual, thanks for reading, and read on!**

**-rjm324**


	4. Into the TV

Chapter 4: Into the TV

"We're certain it was him?" Yukiko asked.

"I know," Yosuke replied. "I can't forget that face."

"But that was so unlike the Haiyo we know," Chie added. "He looked so depressed."

"And the last I saw him," Yosuke added, "he was fuming mad."

"So we're going back in?" Yukiko asked.

"We have to," Yu replied. "If we don't, who will?"

"Plus he'd die," Yosuke added passionately, "and I couldn't bear to see my entire house grieving."

"And don't forget his parents," Yu added.

"Y-Yeah," Chie stuttered. "Anyways, we won't let that happen. Let's go in, guys!"

"Right," Yu replied in a stoic tone.

"For sure!" Yukiko added.

Yosuke looked to his friends. "Thanks guys. It means a lot."

P4

After entering the TV world through their usual spot, the group approached their guide in this world: Teddie.

"Hmm?" the giant costumed bear uttered. He turned around to face his new friends. "Oh, hey guys! What's new?"

"We think there may be another person that was thrown in here recently," Yu replied.

"And we need you to find him as quick as you can!" Yosuke added quickly.

"I thought things felt a little different today," Teddie responded. "I felt another presence appear out of nowhere yesterday, but whoever is out there has been a little active."

"Can you take us to where he is?" Yu asked.

"In a minute," Teddie replied. "I need to sniff them out first." He then stuck his nose into the air sniffing from every direction in an attempt to find the source. It did take him a little while, since there were plenty of places that occupied the area.

"You think he'll find him?" Yosuke asked.

"He found Yukiko," Yu began, "so I don't see why he can't find Haiyo. Just relax a little."

"Y-Yeah, you're right." Yosuke then looked into the emptiness of the TV world. "But it's hard for me to do that when he's all alone out there somewhere."

"And with his shadow, probably," Yu added.

"And he's probably unsatisfied with him. We need to hurry."

"Oh, I've found something!" Teddie exclaimed. "Follow me!" As Teddie ran on one of the various walkways, the group followed him into the deep yellow fog.

"Are you sure he's this way?" Yosuke asked.

"I'm bear-y positive," Teddie replied.

"Don't joke with me, bear!"

"I'm not!"

"Yosuke!" Yu shouted. "Remember what we talked about!" Yosuke let out a sigh and focused back on the path. After a solid minute of running, a shine of red appeared in the distance.

"Is that it?" Yosuke asked once more.

"I think so," Teddie replied. Then, at long last, the group came to a halt in front of the mansion-like building; whereas the building as a whole resembled the school, the front door resembled a suburban, solid wood door, with streams of yellow light shining through the cracks. The building was also covered in cracks that, instead of yellow light, seeped a familiar red light.

"So this is where Haiyo is?" Yukiko asked.

"It looks like what we saw on the Midnight Channel," Yu confirmed.

"It looks like a total mess," Yosuke added.

"Yeah," Chie replied. "It's totally different from Yukiko's castle."

"So are you all heading in?" Teddie asked.

"That's why we're here, aren't we?" Yosuke replied.

"Then let's head in," Teddie announced.

P4

Haiyo stuttered awake after taking a long nap, and fortunately for him, the other of him was nowhere to be seen. At least, that's what the thing said it was. He decided to explore the room, taking better note of his surroundings. The various pictures that were hanged on the wall were old family portraits with his parents, as well as pictures with friends, and with Yosuke in particular.

_I've come so far since those days,_ he thought. _There's no way I could be similar to him nowadays. He's just so much more obnoxious and immature._ He proceeded to the door that stood in front of him. When he attempted to open it, the door seemed less like locked, but more like something was forcing it closed.

"Hello?" Haiyo shouted. "Is anyone out there?" He heard no response, so he was left with no ideas as to the source of the force.

"Figures," he said to himself. "That'd be too easy that way, whoever is keeping me locked in here."

"You're the only one trapping yourself in here," a similar voice responded. Haiyo turned around to see that his doppelganger had returned.

"It's you," Haiyo said. "I've got some questions for you."

"Go ahead," the lookalike replied. "I can't lie to myself."

"Who are you? Really?"

"I told you already. I'm you."

"You say that, but you act completely different from me."

"I'm specifically your polar opposite. I'm everything that you suppress. I'm the manifestation of your true feelings."

"What do you mean? I am who I am."

"No. You're lying to yourself. I should know."

"Oh, you can just go to Hell!"

"I am in Hell. Your mind traps me like a prison. I'm just showing you how it feels to be rejected for so long."

"I grew up, and parts of me have to go. So I suppose that's you."

"Now you're getting it."

"But if you're composed of my past feelings, that also makes you a separate person as well."

"Untrue. Whether I'm represented by your past or your future, every version of you IS you."

"No! That's not at all true!" Haiyo then proceeded to cover his ears and babble incoherently to ignore the other being.

"You can't fight it! I am you, you are me, and because of this, you have yet to truly mature. You're still just a child."

"Shut up! This isn't real! You aren't real!"

"Quit wasting your breath. How can I convince you of your own true feelings?"

"Damn it. Now I know why I got rid of you. You're just as annoying as Yosuke! I've outgrown that mindset! I'm my own person!" At that moment, he turned to notice the group had materialized from the now open door, with Yosuke as center stage.

"G-Guys?" Haiyo stuttered. "W-What the hell is going on here?!"

"We're here to rescue you," Yu replied.

"Rescue?" Haiyo asked before looking back to his doppelganger. "Yes, rescue. You're here to save me from this, this, imposter!"

"He's not an imposter," Yosuke countered. "That thing is your shadow, so he, in short, is you."

"Thank you, Yosuke," the shadow replied as his eyes began to shine yellow.

"Y-Yosuke," Haiyo stuttered, "you mean to tell me you believe that this thing is me?"

"It's okay. Everyone has this thing inside…"

"Just stop!" Haiyo shouted. "I've had enough of this bullshit! There are many things I can accept, but to say this thing is me is not one of them." He turned around, facing his shadow once more in his peering eyes.

"Now I'm only going to say this once, and don't ANY of you forget it! This thing, this 'shadow,' is…"

"No, don't!" Yu shouted.

"THIS THING IS NOT ME!"

* * *

**Hey guys. Welcome, as always, to the end of this chapter. Now if you follow me as an author (and why wouldn't you unless you're trying to hurt my feelings), you've probably noticed that I've updated all of my fanfics with a new chapter. This wasn't by chance, either, because this was the point; if you're following me, then you are now aware of my four other fanfic series, and I just wanted to make sure all of my series were updated to accommodate all my fans.**

**And sorry, for those reading, for this obligatory to be continued ending, but I need some more time to come up with the actual battle with Haiyo's shadow because I don't want to disappoint you. So that's why you have this chapter, but I still hope you like it and will continue to follow/read my story. Also, thanks to ElementDragon02 for leaving the review that sparked my plan to not only get a new P4 chapter out, but to update all five of my fanfics with a new chapter.**

**Until next time, I hope you're having a fantastic day!**

**Read on!**

**-rjm324**


	5. A Two Faced Nature

Chapter 5: A Two Faced Nature

"You don't want to accept me, you say?" Haiyo's shadow asked snarkily as a purple fog began to emanate from his body. "That's fine. I can just make myself whole now."

"W-What the…" Haiyo began before a large gust of wind spread throughout the room; although most everyone kept their footing, Haiyo didn't, as he got blown backwards into the wall before collapsing to his knees.

"Ugh!" Haiyo grunted as he fell to the floor face first. He tried making an effort to get up, but he just fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Haiyo!" Yosuke shouted, horrified by what he was seeing. By now, the smoke had cleared up, revealing Shadow Haiyo's new form: it was in a semi-human form, albeit the jetpack attached to its back, the two large blasters for arms, and a mechanical looking face. Speaking of its face, the distinct black design turned around inside the shadow's skull, revealing a bright white design on the back.

"Two designs?" Yukiko asked.

"It probably stands for a two faced nature," Yu suggested.

"_I am a shadow,"_ Haiyo's shadow bellowed in a deep baritone, _"of the true self."_

"You shut the hell up!" Yosuke shouted.

"_Oh, Yosuke,"_ the shadow acknowledged, _"I thank you for bringing me all this power."_ The shadow's face then turned back to the black face. _"But I have to kill you and anyone who dares to oppose me!"_

"Yosuke," Yu butted in. "I know how you feel, but now isn't the time to provoke it further."

"B-But…"

"How about you go check on Haiyo? The girls and I can take him for now."

Yosuke stared at Yu, then looked to Haiyo, then back to Yu and nodded. "Alright. Give that thing hell, partner."

Yu smiled. "Don't worry. We'll make it sorry it messed with us. Now go." Yosuke nodded and took off towards Haiyo's limp body.

"_Where do you think YOU'RE going?"_ Shadow Haiyo bellowed as he aimed his right blaster square on Yosuke.

"ZIO!" Yu shouted as his Persona, Izanagi, brought down a bolt of lightning onto the shadow's body; it didn't do much damage, but it did redirect the shadow's attention to Yu and the girls.

"Chie! Yukiko!" Yu shouted, calling the girls. "Hit him with everything you've got!"

"Got it!" Chie responded.

"Uh-huh!" Yukiko followed up. Yosuke wasn't surprised by their willingness, but maybe since it was Haiyo they were fighting for, it melted his heart a little. As soon as the next shot was landed on the shadow, Yosuke was by Haiyo's side, picking him up off the floor and sitting him up on a wall. He wasn't awake, but Haiyo's constant breaths eased Yosuke's mind a little.

"Haiyo!" Yosuke shouted. "C'mon, wake up." Haiyo didn't react to this, and Yosuke resorted to try shaking him awake.

"Wake up, dammit!" Yosuke demanded, but again Haiyo responded to nothing Yosuke tried. For a moment, Yosuke looked back to Haiyo's shadow and thought about how its appearance represented Haiyo's feelings. He knew Haiyo was becoming his own person, but Yosuke never imagined that he'd been struggling with an identity crisis. This realization was almost enough to make him cry, but Yosuke did his best to hold back tears.

"Ugh," Haiyo moaned. Yosuke finally snapped out of his trance and faced Haiyo once more. He was finally awake, albeit a tad bit delirious from getting the wind knocked out of him.

"Haiyo?" Yosuke stuttered.

"Ugh, Y-Yosuke?" Haiyo asked airily.

"Oh, thank god you're alright," Yosuke gasped.

"H-Huh? O-Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, that's kinda hard to explain. You see…"

Haiyo turned his head to see the shadow he'd inadvertently released. "W-What the hell is that?"

Yosuke pointed to the shadow. "That is your shadow. A suppression of your true feelings."

"N-No way. I'm better then that… thing!"

"Maybe, but you still gave that thing life in here."

"In here? What do you mean?"

"That's even harder to explain."

"I've got time."

"Yosuke!" Yu shouted. "We need you now! Is Haiyo alright?"

"Yeah, partner!" Yosuke replied. "He's even awake now!"

"Great! Now hurry up! Chie's attacks are worthless, and Yukiko's getting tired from healing!"

"Alright!" Yosuke faced Haiyo once more. "Stay here. I've gotta get in there and fight!"

Haiyo tilted his head. "Fight?"

"You'll see." Finally, for the first time since the battle began, Yosuke retreated towards the group, held out his hand, and down came the Magician tarot card for him to crush in his hand.

* * *

"JIRAIYA!" Yosuke shouted as he clenched the card in his hand, which released a shower of blue. Above his head, however, materialized a translucent being in the same manner as Haiyo's shadow, except it looked like a brightly colored, costumed ninja with a disco ball-like object as a head.

"W-What is that even supposed to be?" Haiyo asked himself.

"USE GARU!" Yosuke shouted once more, and after the Jiraiya character posed in an almost meditative stance, a small gust of wind enveloped Haiyo's shadow; whatever the case, the shadow collapsed to the ground as if it had the wits knocked out of it.

"I see," another figure stated, whom which Haiyo could've sworn was nothing more than a cutesy bear costume. "The shadow is weak to wind! Keep it up, guys!" Haiyo didn't know what to think, but he could tell it was on his side if it was on Yosuke's side.

"Got it!" Yosuke replied. "Listen Ted, can you go stay by Haiyo for me?"

"You can count on me!" The bear replied. In no time at all, the bear was assuming a defensive position in front of Haiyo.

"What're you supposed to be?" Haiyo asked.

"I'm Teddie," The bear replied, "and right now, I need to protect you from yourself."

"Do you always act this carefree?"

"No, just when Sensei and the others have things under control."

"Sensei?"

"The one with the grey hair."

"Oh, I see. Why call him Sensei?"

"He is capable of great power. So now I call him Sensei."

"Yeah, I'm just gonna ignore you and see what this is all about."

"Okay. Wait a minute! How rude of you!" This reaction was, to Haiyo, almost worth getting abducted.

* * *

Just as things were going well for the group, Shadow Haiyo's mechanical face flipped back to the white face.

"W-What was that about?" Yosuke asked.

"Do you think it means anything?" Yukiko asked.

"No clue," Yosuke replied, "but it doesn't matter. I'm going for it again!"

"Yosuke, wait!" Yu shouted, but Yosuke already sent another Garu blast out to the shadow; contrary to before, Shadow Haiyo nullified the attack, leaving Yosuke especially surprised.

"W-What the hell?" Yosuke asked.

"I had a feeling that was the case," Yu replied. "Just like the way each head talks differently, they also change the shadow's overall weakness."

"So we have to rediscover its weakness?" Chie asked.

"Great!" Yosuke added before calling out to Teddie once more. "Hey Ted!"

"Y-Yeah?"

"How's Haiyo doing?"

"He's fine, but…"

"But this bear is getting on my nerves," Haiyo butted in.

"H-Hey…!" Teddie wasn't happy now.

"Heh. You think so too, Haiyo?"

"Yep. Now get your head in the game!"

"O-Oh, right. Thanks man!" With extra encouragement, Yosuke focused back in on the battle, waiting on the others to discover the shadow's new weakness.

"TOMOE!" Chie shouted. "BUFU!" The spell cased the shadow in a block of ice, and although the attack connected, this was not its weakness.

"No good," Chie said.

"Yukiko, heal us up," Yu requested.

"Alright," Yukiko replied. "MEDIA!" Her Persona, Konohana Sakuya, obliged by releasing her healing magic on the whole group.

"Let's try this," Yu stated. "PYRO JACK!" A new Persona appeared behind Yu, resembling a pumpkin head wearing a witch's hat, a black robe, and holding a lantern. "AGILAO!" Pyro Jack produced a large ball of fire that struck Shadow Haiyo with such force that it brought it down to its knees once more.

"Alright!" Chie shouted. "Let's get him!"

Yu nodded. "Right! ALL OUT ATTACK!" All four then dashed ahead to attack Shadow Haiyo head on; despite using all their might, they were unable to bring the shadow down, but he was looking noticeably worn down from the constant barrage of attacks.

"Hell yeah!" Yosuke shouted. "We've got him by ropes."

Shadow Haiyo's face rotated once more. "Oh really?" the black face asked. "DIARAMA!" Suddenly, the previously weary shadow was floating as easily as he was before, with the addition of a big health boost.

"W-What the…?" Yosuke was confused for a moment before he turned his head back to Haiyo. "Haiyo! Are you rejecting it again!?"

"I can't help it!" Haiyo replied. "How could I ever accept that freak?"

"Damn it, man!" Before he could curse his cousin out some more, Shadow Haiyo brought down a Zio skill that brought Yosuke down.

* * *

"Yosuke!" Haiyo shouted. In another moment, the shadow's face rotated once more to the white face, and used the ice skill that Chie used earlier to bring down Yukiko in a similar fashion to Yosuke.

"Yukiko!" Haiyo shouted similarly before running out to the group.

"Hold up there," Teddie shouted. "It's too dangerous."

"Haiyo, I agree with Teddie," Yu agreed. "Stand back."

"It's alright," Haiyo reassured. "I've got this." After halting in front of his shadow, Haiyo began to look it in the eye.

"Oh, it's just you," the white face mocked. "I honestly thought we were in trouble."

The face rotated once more. "But we can easily handle you, vermin," the black face mocked.

"Are you sure about that?" Haiyo asked unironically. "After all, do you know what I'm capable of?"

"… What's your point?" The shadow seemed to be unsure of what Haiyo was getting at.

"I know what your pattern is." Haiyo began. "You, the black face, are able to use fire and lightning while being weak to wind. Meanwhile, the white face is able to use ice and wind while being weak to fire."

"You may know our patterns, but what does that do to benefit you?"

"Well, it's just so funny."

"What is?"

"Your weaknesses say a lot about me. If a situation gets too heated, I just have to be more hard headed. So really, we are alike."

The shadow began to twitch and moan as its body began to crackle like static. It wasn't much, but Haiyo acknowledging some similarities between the two was weakening its ability to fight.

"He's all yours, guys," Haiyo said. "Just stick to wind attacks."

"Right!" the four shouted. By this time, Yosuke and Yukiko were up and ready to fight.

* * *

"JIRAIYA!" Yosuke shouted. "USE GARU!" Like before, a wall of wind enveloped Shadow Haiyo, with the gust being just enough to bring the daunting shadow to its knees.

"NOW!" Yu shouted. "ALL OUT ATTACK!" All for rushed the shadow with everything they could with their weapon; unlike last time, with the shadow weakened from earlier, the combined attack strength of the group was enough to reduce the shadow back to the likeness of which it bore. The first one to approach it was Haiyo himself, who was still in disbelief over what he'd just beared witness to.

"Haiyo," Yosuke said, patting Haiyo's shoulder. "It's okay. There's no need to hide it anymore.

"Y-You don't get it," Haiyo replied grimly. "What that THING said may have been true, but he's not the me I want to be anymore."

"I understand," Yosuke comforted. "In fact, that's exactly how I felt." Haiyo sighed once more.

"Wait now," Yu butted in. "Before you say anything, just because you and Yosuke share SOME similarities doesn't mean you're anything alike."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yosuke sorely asked. For once, Haiyo was able to let out a good laugh.

"That's true," Haiyo replied.

"And what you said to your shadow earlier," Yukiko added, "about you and him sharing similarities. That applies to you and Yosuke too, don't you think?"

"Hey, yeah," Chie agreed. "Besides, there's no need to go through so much trouble to distinguish yourself from Yosuke."

"That's right," Yu added. "You do that just by how you choose to act from past experiences."

"Well… guess that's why Yosuke is Yosuke," Haiyo mirrored. "Because he didn't choose to grow up."

"H-Hey!" Yosuke cried. Immediately, everyone else, especially Yukiko, burst into instantaneous laughter. After this moment of levity, Haiyo faced his shadow once more. As if acting on cue, the shadow sat up and faced his doppelganger.

"So," the shadow started as it eyes shone yellow, "what'll it be?"

"I-I may not like it, but ARE me. We grew from the same past, and you're the half of my personality I locked up for so long." He then clenched his fist. "Hear that? Now what do you have to say?"

The shadow just nodded. "Thank you. That's all I wanted to hear." Finally, in a brilliant shine of blue, the shadow disappeared, leaving behind a new figure; it was still humanoid, but now it sported a solid mechanical body, dressed in a deep blue suit over a midnight black coat, sporting one arm mounted blaster, and had a face half white, half black, with shining, ruby red eyes.

"I-Is this my Persona?" Haiyo asked.

Yu and Yosuke nodded.

"Huh. Xanto?" The Persona nodded as it vanished in a blue veil, falling to Haiyo as the Tower tarot card. Soon it, too, vanished from sight. Mostly out of exhaustion, Haiyo dropped to one knee.

"Whoa there," Yosuke said as he pulled Haiyo off the ground. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Haiyo replied. "Just a little tired."

"Well, I'm bringing you home RIGHT when we get back."

"O-Okay? How long have I been gone?"

"A few hours, maybe? Don't worry, it's not long enough for anyone to notice."

"If you say so." Haiyo was wearing a weary smile when he said this.

* * *

**Hey guys. I'll be honest here, I tried like hell to enjoy writing this chapter, but I couldn't. I wanted to be extra careful to make sure the shadow battle was good enough to match the quality you guys expect from me. And if not, then we can all forget this as a simple misstep. Oh, and if you guys hate the name of my OC's Persona, I don't blame you; this was the hardest thing about this chapter, and that says a lot, so if you have a name change suggestion, let me know and I'll oblige.**

**Regardless, I do hope you still enjoyed this chapter, and as always, please review, follow/favorite, and, most of all, read!**

**Read on!**

**-rjm324**


	6. Recovery

Chapter 6: Recovery

Haiyo bolted up, sweat coating his forehead. He looked around and saw that he was back in his bed, perfectly unharmed except for his sweltering fever. He also noticed that there was no sunlight shining in, indicating it was nighttime, though he did also notice that the sound of rain was still audible.

_W-What happened?_ He asked himself. _Was that just a dream? _He looked to his desk, got up, and approached it to find his notepad and pen; he then opened up the notepad, slightly shriveled from water, and flipped to the second page, which revealed his rage induced entry for the seventh.

_Maybe it wasn't,_ Haiyo admitted to himself. _But man, what the hell was that all about?_ Right as he asked himself this, he heard his door open slowly, and once it was completely ajar, he saw that it was Yosuke; surprisingly, Haiyo was glad to see him for once, but at the same time, Haiyo thought that maybe he was in for a world of hell right there and then. Instead, Yosuke just walked up to Haiyo and gave him a hug.

"Y-Yosuke?" Haiyo questioned. "W-What are you doing? You're making me a little uncomfortable right now."

Yosuke pulled away while still maintaining eye contact. "Sorry man," he replied. "It's just… I'm glad you're safe."

Haiyo tilted his head. "Safe? You mean from..."

Yosuke nodded. "Yeah."

"And then there was..."

"Yeah."

"So it wasn't just some twisted nightmare?"

"Yeah, that was real."

"..." Haiyo stood in silence for the longest time.

"Don't worry, though. We'll explain everything once you're feeling better." Haiyo wanted to retaliate, but considering his fever and his state of exhaustion (he was actually feeling VERY out of it despite being able to stand), he just nodded and returned to bed while Yosuke made his way out. Once Haiyo was back in bed, however, he noticed that Yosuke hadn't left yet; in fact, he seemed to be standing there, almost as if he was contemplating something in his head.

"Is something wrong?" Haiyo asked.

Yosuke shook his head. "No. I was just.. thinking."

"About what?"

Yosuke shook his head once more. "I'll tell you later. Get some rest."

Haiyo nodded. "I will." And with that, Yosuke left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Haiyo to only lay his head back on his pillow and go back to sleep.

P4

When Haiyo opened his eyes once again, he found himself surrounded by an endless amount of fog. He knew he had to be dreaming, so with no real risk, he ventured forward, curious as to what may lie ahead. However, after about ten minutes (at least as far as Haiyo counted), it seemed as though the foggy, grass-less plain went on forever, but Haiyo was determined to discover anything, so he continued. Ten minutes passed. Thirty minutes passed. An hour. Was he even walking that long? Regardless, the more he walked, the more it occurred to Haiyo that there really was nothing that laid ahead.

"HELLO?!" Haiyo shouted, hoping someone would answer his plea. "IS ANYONE THERE?!"

**"I'm here,"** a familiar baritone voice boomed, and when Haiyo turned around, he saw that it was the mechanical hybrid monster that tried killing the very people who sought to rescue him form who-knows-where. It didn't make him any more tolerable to Haiyo, since after he caught a glimpse, he stumbled backwards, falling to the ground flat on his butt. He already knew he'd accepted it, his shadow, as Yosuke called it. So why was it after him once more?

"S-Stay the hell away from me!" Haiyo demanded.

**"Why?"** the shadow bellowed. **"I thought you were asking for someone, so I came."**

"I didn't ask for your ugly mug though, so go away!"

The shadow's face swapped to black, with its face curled into a sinister grin. **"Are you actually scared by yourself? That's very amusing!"**

"W-What do you want? I thought you went away!"

**"I'm your shadow. You may have accepted me, but I still lurk in the dark. Perhaps it's because you won't fully accept me."**

"O-Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?"

**"You're still ashamed to have admitted it. Don't try to lie."**

"Bullshit!"

**"Oh, my. Getting a little testy, are we?"** The shadow then began hovering Haiyo, which prompted him to close his eyes, refusing tom even lay eyes on such a monstrosity.

"NO!" he shouted. "GO AWAY! GO AWAY! YOU'RE NOT REAL! YOU'RE NOT REAL! YOU'RE NOT..."

P4

Haiyo bolted up out of the bed again, beaded with sweat; he looked all around the room, and not only did he see nothing there, he noticed that his clock read six o'clock.

_W-What's wrong with me?_ He thought to himself as streams of light shone through the window. He didn't know what to think about the nightmare. What exactly was it meant to represent? Was it meant to represent anything at all? He was sure he would figure it out with time, but for now, he just got up, walked over to the window, and stared outside. It was pouring outside, and the puddles that piled up gave him the impression that it was raining nonstop.

As he stared, the room's door was slowly opened, prompting Haiyo to turn his head to see who was entering; again, it was Yosuke, which at this point was starting to creep Haiyo out.

"Oh, you're up," Yosuke greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Haiyo shrugged. "I'm fine, I guess," he replied.

Yosuke nodded. "That's good. Mind if I come in?"

"I thought you already were."

Yosuke chuckled. "Already cracking jokes like that? You must be feeling much better by now."

Haiyo looked back to the window. "Not really. The fever hasn't gone completely away." As he stared at the rain, Haiyo heard Yosuke's footsteps grow louder and louder until they stopped and Haiyo felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to Yosuke. "Is everything okay? I mean, I know you were worried about me, but..."

Yosuke nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just..." Yosuke's face darkened as he, too, decided to look out the window.

"Yosuke?"

"I-I had someone else I cared for. Her name was Saki-senpai. She wound up in the same position as you, but I didn't know until..."

This time, in a reversal of roles, Haiyo put his hand on Yosuke's shoulder. Now that he knew about this, Haiyo no longer felt uncomfortable with what had happened last night. Yosuke had lost someone he cared for once before, and the fact that he was able to save him showed Haiyo a whole new side of Yosuke that he never saw before.

"I get it," Haiyo replied. "And thanks for what you did for me."

Yosuke turned his head back to Haiyo. "Thanks man." He then stretched his limbs and turned back to face the door. "Well, I'm gonna head out. I've got plans for later."

Haiyo arched his eyebrow. "I'm guessing it's not plans for a girlfriend."

Yosuke's eyes widened. "W-What's up with you lately?"

Haiyo shrugged. "I dunno. I just feel a little more… at ease, I guess."

"Well, maybe. But you're acting way different after accepting your Shadow. Hell, even Yukiko only had minor differences afterwards."

"Speaking of acting totally different, how much different are you during exam weeks?"

"Huh? During exam… wait a minute! That's right, we have midterms this week."

"You planning on studying?"

"I-I have!"

"Uh huh. Have fun out there, man."

"And you get some rest. See you later, man." Then, the door was shut and Yosuke was gone. Haiyo looked back out to the window once more. He wasn't sure what the future now held for him, but one thing's for sure: once he was feeling better, he'll be ready to face it head on. But again. Midterms.

He sighed. _You know, Yosuke is actually right about exams. Even for me, they suck._

* * *

**Oh, it's been so long since I've last worked on this fic. But, with Persona Fusion taking increasingly longer for me to work on, I thought I'd give this one another go to see what you guys think of it now. Now yes, this chapter is pretty short; in fact, it's pretty much on the low end of my Persona fanfic chapters in general. But if you guys are still game for this one, I'll make the chapters longer and rotate it with Persona Fusion so I don't grow too bored of writing it and, in turn, give up on it (not that I would, but you never know.)**

**Anyways, I don't have any witty remarks or any multi-paragraph retorts currently, so for now, I'll just give a thanks to LolOrNot for leaving the review that encouraged me to jump start this fic out of decommission, even if it meant putting my Crash Bandicoot fic in hiatus, but I've still got faith in it.**

**So that's it for me. Read on!**

**-rjm324**


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